Bonded warehouses are buildings or other secured areas used during the import or export of goods. Dutiable goods may be stored without payment of duty in these areas. Bonded warehouses may be managed by government or by private business. However, in the case of a private business owning a bonded warehouse, a customs bond must be posted with the government. This system exists in all developed countries of the world, including South Africa.

With our vast range of networks across the world, Macro Clearing has access to the bonded warehouses of various companies and governments in various countries. There are a few rules in regards to bonded warehouses that are the same no matter which country your goods are in.

Upon entry of goods into a bonded warehouse, the importer and warehouse proprietor incur liability under a bond. This liability will be canceled when the goods are:

• exported or deemed exported
• withdrawn for supplies to a vessel or aircraft in international traffic
• destroyed under Customs supervision
• withdrawn for consumption domestically after payment of duty.

While your cargo is in a bonded warehouse you may have access to it, as long as it’s under the supervision of the country’s customs authority. You are allowed to clean, sort or repack the cargo, as long as you don’t do anything to it that may be regarded as manufacturing.

Within the warehousing period, the goods may be exported without the payment of duty. If withdrawn for consumption, duty needs to be paid at a rate applicable to goods in the condition your cargo is in.

The permitted warehousing period may differ from country to country. In the United States, for instance, goods may remain in a bonded warehouse up to five years from the date it was imported. In South Africa, this period is limited to two years.

Bonded warehouses provide specialized storage services such as deep freeze or bulk liquid storage, commodity processing and coordination with transportation. It is an integral part of the global supply chain.

Different Types of Bonded Warehouses

Depending on the country or region your goods are imported or exported to, there are various options as to the warehouse you can use for the storage of your goods:

Temporary storage areas 

Temporary storage areas offer the possibility of storing goods that enter a customs territory awaiting further customs-approved use or treatment.

Public bonded warehouses

In the case of Public Customs Warehouses, the administrator – usually the warehouse keeper – can make the premises available to anyone that wants to store goods that are under customs control.

Private bonded warehouses (1)

With Private Customs Warehouses only the administrator of the customs warehouse – the warehouse keeper – can store goods in it. The goods stored in a private bonded warehouse don’t have to be the property of the administrator. We have a variety of private bonded warehouses in our network that we use to store bonded goods for our clients until they are ready to have their goods imported/exported. In these cases, the warehouse keeper provides security to the different Customs Departments.

Private bonded warehouses (2)

The second type of Private Customs Warehouse differs from the first because only goods that belong to the administrator is allowed to be stored in this area. It has to be the administrator’s property.

Free warehouse

A free warehouse is another type of Public Bonded Warehouse. It is a building or premises guarded and locked by Customs. Anyone can store dutiable goods in this area.

Bonded Logistics Parks

Unlike a free warehouse, a bonded logistics park (also called a special economic zone) is not a building or premises, but a location. This location is a geographical area that has been carefully charted and recorded.

Let Macro Clearing Assist with Bonded Warehousing

Depending on different countries, it is difficult to choose what kind of warehouse should be chosen for different situations. There are as many circumstances for the import/export of goods as there are goods to import or export. In some cases, goods may be entered into a temporary warehouse and afterward released for local consumption. Or the goods may be exported to another country and placed in a warehouse for a while until the flight or boat is ready to be loaded. In some cases, goods are put in bonded warehouses awaiting retailers to transfer them.

For the importer or exporter, it can be difficult dealing with the logistics of what needs to be where and when. Macro Clearing works it all out so that our customer has as little to deal with as possible, at peace with the fact that their freight will be at the right destination on time and in good condition.

The Use of Bonded Warehouses in South Africa